The Rabha are a Tibeto-Burman community to the Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal.[1] They primarily inhabit the plains of Lower Assam and the Dooars, while some are found in the Garo Hills. Most of the Rabhas of Dooars refer to themselves as Rabha, but some of them often declare themselves as Kocha.[2]
The Rabha community have a rich, multi-faceted and distinct culture of their own. The agricultural practices, food habit and belief systems of the Rabhas reflect a conglomeration of features from both the Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burmese culture. The Rabha society is patrilineal . The village economy is based on agriculture and both men and women work in the fields. The women wear colorful clothes that they weave themselves and wear a lot of beads and silver ornaments. The Rabhas are non-vegetarians and rice is their staple food.
The traditional economy of the Rabhas in general, is based on agriculture, forest based activities and weaving. In the past, the Rabhas used to practice shifting cultivation. They continued to cultivate the land with Gogo or bill-hook. Later they took up the job of settled cultivation and started cultivation with plough. Besides cultivation, hunting was also an old practice of Rabha people. Weaving was a traditional occupation of the Rabha women.
The Rabha language is closely related to neighbouring Boro and Garo, as well as many other Sino-Tibetan languages of Assam. They have 11 dialects: Maithori, Rongdani, Pati, Dahori, Dotla, Halua, Betolia, Hanna, Sunga, Modahi, Kocha Rabhas. These all are Rabhas but some of them have loss their mother tongues. Some of them have totally died out. But the Rongdani, Maithori and Kocha dialects are still used by Koch-Rabhas.[3] The Rabha language is only spoken by a minority of the Rabhas, most of whom speak Assamese in Assam and Kamtapuri and Bengali in West Bengal.
^"Rabha, Bodo and Garo, all of which belong to a close-knit group of Tibeto-Burman languages."(Joseph 2006:1)
^"There stills exist another group of Rabhas called the Kocha or Koch"(Joseph 2006:2)
^"There are eight sub-branches of the Rabhas. Among them Maitori, Rangdani and Koch or Kocha are the major sub-divisions of the Rabhas. They have been maintaining language and culture."(Basumatārī 2010:8)
References
Mitra, A. (1953), West Bengal: District Handbooks: Jalpaiguri, Govt. of West Bengal
Basumatārī, Phukana Candra (2010). The Rabha Tribe of North-East India, Bengal and Bangladesh. Mittal Publications.
Joseph, Umbavu (2006). Languages of the Greater Himalayan Region, Volume 1 Rabha. Brill.
Further reading
Saha, Rebatimohon (1987) "Jalpaiguri Jelar Koch-Rabha Samaj" (in Bengali) published in Ananda Gopal Ghosh edited Madhuparni, Special issue on Jalpaiguri District.
Raha, M.K. (1974) "The Rabhas of Western Duars: Structural Analysis of a Changing Matrilineal Society", Bulletin of the Cultural Research Institute, Vol. 10 (1 & 2).
Ghosh, Saumitra (1990) "Vanbasi Rabhara" (in Bengali) Desh, Vol 57 (12), January 20.
Roy Choudhury, B. (1970) "Social Mobility Movement among the Rabhas of North Bengal", Man in India, Vol 50 (1).
Gupta, Pabitra Kumar (1977) "Uttarbanger Rahba Samaj O Dharmasanskar Aandolon", (in Bengali) in Madhuparni: Special North Bengal Issue, 1977.
Sarma, Dr. Nabin Ch (2006) "Oral Songs of Tribal Communities of Assam" a project of Assam Sahitya Sabha, Assam Institute of Research for Tribals and Scheduled Castes
January 31, 2023
rabha, people, this, article, possibly, contains, original, research, please, improve, verifying, claims, made, adding, inline, citations, statements, consisting, only, original, research, should, removed, april, 2021, learn, when, remove, this, template, mess. This article possibly contains original research Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations Statements consisting only of original research should be removed April 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Rabha are a Tibeto Burman community to the Indian states of Assam Meghalaya and West Bengal 1 They primarily inhabit the plains of Lower Assam and the Dooars while some are found in the Garo Hills Most of the Rabhas of Dooars refer to themselves as Rabha but some of them often declare themselves as Kocha 2 RabhaTotal populationc 357 000 citation needed Regions with significant populations IndiaAssam296 189 citation needed Meghalaya32 662 citation needed West Bengal27 820 citation needed LanguagesRabha Kamtapuri Assamese BengaliRelated ethnic groupsBoro Kachari peoplesThe Rabha community have a rich multi faceted and distinct culture of their own The agricultural practices food habit and belief systems of the Rabhas reflect a conglomeration of features from both the Indo Aryan and Tibeto Burmese culture The Rabha society is patrilineal The village economy is based on agriculture and both men and women work in the fields The women wear colorful clothes that they weave themselves and wear a lot of beads and silver ornaments The Rabhas are non vegetarians and rice is their staple food The traditional economy of the Rabhas in general is based on agriculture forest based activities and weaving In the past the Rabhas used to practice shifting cultivation They continued to cultivate the land with Gogo or bill hook Later they took up the job of settled cultivation and started cultivation with plough Besides cultivation hunting was also an old practice of Rabha people Weaving was a traditional occupation of the Rabha women The Rabhas are mostly found in Lower Assam on the south bank of the Brahmaputra in the districts of Goalpara and Kamrup Some are found in the north bank districts of Baksa Udalguri and Kokrajhar In Meghalaya the Rabhas mainly live in West Garo Hills East Garo Hills North Garo Hills and South Garo Hills In West Bengal the Rabha inhabit the district of Alipurduar Rabha Tribal Lady Contents 1 Language 2 See also 3 Notes 4 References 5 Further readingLanguage EditThe Rabha language is closely related to neighbouring Boro and Garo as well as many other Sino Tibetan languages of Assam They have 11 dialects Maithori Rongdani Pati Dahori Dotla Halua Betolia Hanna Sunga Modahi Kocha Rabhas These all are Rabhas but some of them have loss their mother tongues Some of them have totally died out But the Rongdani Maithori and Kocha dialects are still used by Koch Rabhas 3 The Rabha language is only spoken by a minority of the Rabhas most of whom speak Assamese in Assam and Kamtapuri and Bengali in West Bengal See also EditRabha language Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council Bishnuprasad Rabha Assamese language Himalayan Languages ProjectNotes Edit Rabha Bodo and Garo all of which belong to a close knit group of Tibeto Burman languages Joseph 2006 1 There stills exist another group of Rabhas called the Kocha or Koch Joseph 2006 2 There are eight sub branches of the Rabhas Among them Maitori Rangdani and Koch or Kocha are the major sub divisions of the Rabhas They have been maintaining language and culture Basumatari 2010 8 References EditMitra A 1953 West Bengal District Handbooks Jalpaiguri Govt of West Bengal Basumatari Phukana Candra 2010 The Rabha Tribe of North East India Bengal and Bangladesh Mittal Publications Joseph Umbavu 2006 Languages of the Greater Himalayan Region Volume 1 Rabha Brill Further reading EditSaha Rebatimohon 1987 Jalpaiguri Jelar Koch Rabha Samaj in Bengali published in Ananda Gopal Ghosh edited Madhuparni Special issue on Jalpaiguri District Raha M K 1974 The Rabhas of Western Duars Structural Analysis of a Changing Matrilineal Society Bulletin of the Cultural Research Institute Vol 10 1 amp 2 Ghosh Saumitra 1990 Vanbasi Rabhara in Bengali Desh Vol 57 12 January 20 Roy Choudhury B 1970 Social Mobility Movement among the Rabhas of North Bengal Man in India Vol 50 1 Gupta Pabitra Kumar 1977 Uttarbanger Rahba Samaj O Dharmasanskar Aandolon in Bengali in Madhuparni Special North Bengal Issue 1977 Sarma Dr Nabin Ch 2006 Oral Songs of Tribal Communities of Assam a project of Assam Sahitya Sabha Assam Institute of Research for Tribals and Scheduled Castes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rabha people amp oldid 1121330096, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
